Perla intensifies into severe tropical storm

MANILA, Philippines — Perla has intensified into a severe tropical storm, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

At 10 a.m. yesterday, the center of Severe Tropical Storm Perla was estimated based on all available data at 600 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes.

With maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph, Perla is moving west northwest at 15 kph.

“No tropical cyclone wind signal is in effect over any part of the country. However, occasional gusts may occur over extreme Northern Luzon until early next week due to the prevailing northeasterly surface wind flow,” PAGASA said in its bulletin.

“Perla is still forecast not to bring significant high-impact weather over extreme Northern Luzon,” the state weather bureau added.

Residents and disaster managers in extreme Northern Luzon, however, are still advised to continue monitoring for updates.

Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Apayao and Cagayan will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to the northeasterly surface wind flow.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers brought by localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA also warned that sea travel is risky, especially for small vessels, over the seaboards of Northern Luzon due to potentially rough sea conditions associated with the northeasterly surface wind flow.

Perla is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility between tonight and tomorrow morning.